Zerubbabel
Zerubbabel (or Sheshbazzar), a descendant of David, led the first group of Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem from Babylon and oversaw the rebuilding of the temple.
Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel was the governor of Judah appointed by the Persian king who led the first wave of exiles returning from Babylon to Jerusalem around 538 BC (Ezra 2:2; Nehemiah 7:7). Together with the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak, he rebuilt the altar, resumed temple sacrifices, and laid the foundation of the second temple despite opposition from surrounding peoples (Ezra 3–5). The prophets Haggai and Zechariah ministered specifically to encourage him and Joshua in the rebuilding work (Haggai 1:12; Zechariah 4:6–10). Zechariah's vision of the golden lampstand identifies Zerubbabel as the Anointed One who would complete the temple: 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit' (Zechariah 4:6). He appears in both genealogies of Jesus (Matthew 1:12–13; Luke 3:27).